Week 9 Green Bay fantasy profile: Bye week pick-ups edition

Oct 26, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs kicker

(5) on the sidelines against the St. Louis Rams at Arrowhead Stadium. Kansas City won the game 34-7. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

Kicker

While QBs are usually the most indispensable pickups a fantasy team can make, kickers are the exact opposite.

They are the most unpredictable position on a week-to-week basis. Which means that 1.) it sucks when one of the truly reliable ones isn’t available by injury, suspension or bye week, and 2.) you should be able to pick up a decent one in just about any week.

I’ve written before about my guidelines for kickers, but I think they bear mentioning again (with a few additions):

• Don’t waste a high pick (or any pick for that matter) during your draft;
•  Never hold multiple kickers. EVER. It is a complete waste of a roster spot;
•  Try to grab one attached to an elite offense;
•  Outside of that, make it all matchup-based;
•  Good kicker on a decent offense versus a decent/strong defense, especially one good in the red-zone; those are the situations where the offense will most likely be able to move the ball well enough to be in range for field goal attempts, but not able to punch it in for TDs; and
• Good kicker with a bad offense versus a bad defense could also work, but the variance is much higher.

Billy Cundiff of Cleveland has had at least seven fantasy points in all but one matchup this year, and has hit 6/6 on FGs in the past three games. Against a bad Buccaneers defense, the Browns should be able to move into his range often enough to give him a few opportunities.

Kai Forbath is a higher-variance version of Cundiff. He has had more bad games (three with five fantasy points or less), but bigger good ones (five of nine fantasy points or more). Lately it has been more good than bad, so he could be a good play this week against Minnesota with a sure-to-be-rusty RGIII leading an offense that could have trouble finishing drives strong.

Brandon McManus hasn’t been a major option so far, but he is attached to a great QB in Peyton Manning so he is always worth a play if needed.

Aug 28, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Denver Broncos place kicker Brandon McManus (8) watches a kick during the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Denver beat Dallas 27-3. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

The two I would go for would be Cairo Santos of Kansas City or Randy Bullock of Houston.

Both are attached to non-explosive offenses that are run-based, move the ball decently well, and have QBs that are less than elite.

Those two have continually been put into good kicking situations, and should see more of the same this week.

Potential pick-ups: Santos, Bullock, McManus, Cundiff, Forbath

Predictions:

Santos – 4 FGs (2 30+ yards, 1 40+ yards, 1 50+ yards), 2 PATs; about 17 fantasy points

Bullock – 3 FGs (1 20+ yards, 2 40+ yards), 2 PATs; about 13 fantasy points

McManus – 4 FGs (2 20+ yards, 1 40+ yards, 1 50+ yards), 3 PATs; about 18 fantasy point

Cundiff – 5 FGs (3 20+ yards, 2 40+ yards), 1 PATs; about 18 fantasy points

Forbath – 4 FGs (2 30+ yards, 2 40+ yards), 2 PATs; about 16 fantasy points